Season-High Gives No. 6 Florida Gymnastics Link to Pink Win over No. 13 Arkansas

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Powered by a vivid sellout crowd, No. 6 Florida gymnastics used a season-high to take the win over No. 13 Arkansas Friday in the 18th Annual Gators Link to Pink presented by UF Health.

Florida raised its season high to 197.85 while Arkansas tallied a 196.05 in front of 8,823 at the Exactech Arena.

Gator Leanne Wong wowed the Exactech Arena crowd with her 10.0 to anchor the uneven bars lineup. It was her first 10.0 of her junior season and the seventh as a Gator. Wong also used a season-best 39.725 to lead a Gator all-around sweep. Anya Pilgrim was second at 39.60, matching the nation’s 2024 freshman high. Junior Sloane Blakely took third (39.175).

Freshman Danie Ferris’ collegiate best of 9.95 took the vault win. Senior Victoria Nguyen and Wong shared the balance beam win with Arkansas’ Kalyxta Gamiao. The Razorbacks’ Frankie Price won the floor exercise at 9.95.

TONIGHT’S MEET
A season-best 49.475 on vault opened the meet for the Gators. Florida’s final three competitors all posted 9.9 or higher, including Ferris’ collegiate best 9.95 to win the vault title. Wong anchored the set with a 9.925 and Pilgrim also earned a 9.9.

Florida followed with another season high of 49.60 on uneven bars. Boosting that total was Wong’s 10.0 to anchor the lineup. It was her first 10.0 of the season and fourth of her career on the uneven bars. Pilgrim used a collegiate-best 9.95 to take second. Ellie Lazzari equaled her collegiate best of 9.925 for the second time this season to complete the Gators’ bars sweep.

Half of the Gators beam lineup went 9.9 or better on balance beam. Florida’s final two competitors – Victoria Nguyen and Wong, led the team with 9.925. Pilgrim also turned in 9.9.

Sophomore Lori Brubach led off Florida with a floor exercise mark of 9.90 to equal her collegiate-best for the second time this season. She shared second with UA’s Lauren Williams. Wong anchored UF’s lineup with a 9.875.

Gator 10.0 Leaders:
Leanne Wong is now No. 4 for UF in career 10.0s

1. Trinity Thomas 28
2. Alex McMurtry 9
3. Bridget Sloan 8
4. Leanne Wong 7
5. Kytra Hunter 6

GATOR NOTES:

* Leanne Wong earned her seventh 10.0 of her Gator career Friday. Her Link to Pink 10.0 for uneven bars is her fourth on bars. She also has two on beam and one for vault.
* This was UF’s 12th consecutive home sellout. With the Feb. 23 LSU meet already sold out, the Gators will have 19 sellouts in a 22-meet span.
* Freshman Danie Ferris upped her collegiate best set last Friday at Georgia by a tenth tonight to win vault at 9.95.
* Anya Pilgrim’s all-around of 39.60 shares the nation’s lead for freshmen in 2024. Only Pilgrim has multiple totals among the nation’s 2024 freshmen leading all-around performances. Here’s how her all-around totals rank among 2024 freshmen:
* No. T1 39.60 (2-9-24)
* No. T3 39.55 (2-2-24)
* No. T5 39.525 (1-12-24 & 1-26-24)

* Eight Gators equaled or set collegiate bests Friday:
* Lori Brubach – 9.90 (floor)
* Gabby Disidore – 9.90 (bars)
* Skylar Draser – 9.875 (beam)
* Danie Ferris – 9.95 (vault)
* Ellie Lazzari – 9.925 (bars)
* Victoria Nguyen – 9.925 (beam)
* Any Pilgrim – 39.60 (all-around), 9.95 (bars)
* Leanne Wong – 10.0 (bars)

ABOUT LINK TO PINK:
Tonight was the 18th Annual Gators Link to Pink meet. These meets are part of a Southeastern Conference initiative and most of the league’s teams will participate in a “pink” meet this season.

This event is well supported by the Gainesville community. Eight of the top 21 crowds in the program’s history are Link to Pink events, including tonight’s sellout crowd of 8,823.

RECORDS: Florida (6-1, 3-1 SEC), Arkansas (2-2-1, 2-2-1 SEC)

THE SERIES: Florida leads 51-3

NATIONAL RANK:
Florida – No. 6 in the Feb. 5 Road to Nationals standings<https://roadtonationals.com/results/standings/season/2024/2/0/5>
Arkansas – No. 13

UP NEXT:
Florida continues SEC action next Friday for the Mizzou to the Lou Quad in St. Charles, Mo. The meet includes No. 12 Missouri (6-2, 2-2 SEC), at No. 25 Illinois (6-4, 1-3 Big Ten) and Lindenwood (7-2).

Both Missouri (197.35-196.60 at No. 5 Kentucky) and Illinois (197.475-196.275 at No. 10 Michigan State<https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=498074>) lost in Friday road action. Lindenwood has a home meet versus Illinois State on Sunday.

When: Friday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Family Arena<https://familyarena.com/event/mizzou-to-the-lou-quad-gymnastics/>
TV: SEC Network <https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/2d2b0d2b-108a-469c-ab9e-ab2c97a5005b>
Tickets: $10-$30<https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/06005F8BDB6D3B9B>

No. 6 Florida vs No. 13 Arkansas for 18th Annual Gators Link to Pink
Final Team Totals

Feb. 9, 2024 ● Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center (8,823 – sellout)

Team

Vault

Bars

Beam

Floor

Total

Florida

49.475

49.600